The Morning After: Eagles Beat The Redskins

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday with your families. Chances are it was better than Tiger Woods' long weekend. Wow, what to make of this whole saga. We all know the story by now... his wife, Elin Nordegren, came to his rescue after Tiger missed the fairway, er driveway. Course what Tiger was doing at 2:30AM is anyone's guess. However there are reports that he has been having an affair. So who is Tiger Woods' alleged mistress? Her name is Rachel Uchitel (pictured), a nightclub VIP operations manager for some of the biggest clubs in New York.

Eldrick... may I call you Eldrick? If this is indeed true... what are you doing? Is one drop dead gorgeous woman not enough for you? Men truly are pigs...

Ok, enough of that... let's get to the REAL action yesterday. Enough of all this talk about Tiger and his wife and supposed mistress. I mean we're here to talk about football, right?

Geez... sorry about that.I'LL GRANT YOU THAT...So who exactly is Rebecca Grant? You see her before each and every game. She's the hard-hitting journalist who gives us an in-depth look at some of the key NFL games and says something about Verizon, too.

As you can see, she's very... um, talented...

I'm sorry... very sorry. NOW we can get to the action on the field.

I'LL SAY A WORD & YOU SAY THE FIRST WORD...If someone says "Eagles" the first word I think of?

Easy. Inconsistent.

"lacking in harmony between the different parts or elements; lacking in correct logical relation"

Pretty much says it all, doesn't it? There is simply no logic to this team. Literally from game to game, from series to series, from play to play... on either side of the ball, their lack of consistency is mind-boggling.

Can you?LAY IT ON THE LINE...This is precisely where I am laying it... on the lines. Both of them. For far too many plays yesterday, the Eagles' offensive and defensive lines were bested by the Redskins' lines. Save me all the stats you can throw at me.

Of defense, the Eagles were going against a makeshift Redskinds OL yet could not sustain consistent (there's what word again) pressure, even when they blitzed. And on offense, the Redskins' DL, was consistently getting pressure on Donovan McNabb despite rushing only four for the most part.

The ONLY one who gets a pass? Trent Cole. The man comes to play every single week. Can't say that about anyone else.

TIME TO KICK THE HABIT...Remember how we all thought the onsides kick to start a game was this fabulous thing? A brilliant move by Andy Reid? Remember those days? Yeah, well those days are over big fella, and it's time to stick that play with your NutriSlim... in the closet.

SIGNIFICANT SHRINKAGE...Of course anyone and everyone should immediately recognize this line from Seinfeld lore.. and if you don't, well, just leave now...

In the early part of yesterday's game Fox color analyst Darryl "Moose" Johnston, in explaining how the Eagles would be adjusting to life without Brian Westbrook, pondered aloud if they (Eagles) would "shrink their package..."

Obviously he was referring to their offensive game plan... right?

WHAT TIPPED YOU OFF?...I'm sure there is a stat for this somewhere but can someone please explain to me how a QB who stands 6'2" can have so many passes tipped at the line of scrimmage? You don't think there's an issue with his release point, do you?

Me neither.

TONY ORLANDO & SEAN...You can throw injuries out the window boys and girls cause every team has them this time of year. And I realize missing #20 plays a huge role.. but there is absolutely no denying that this Eagles defense under Sean McDermott does not play with the same intensity and fire as it did under the late Jim Johnson.

Other than Trent Cole, this is a very pedestrian, average NFL defense at best. Again, don't give me stats. I don't care if they are in the Top 10 in the league. The fact is if the Bears and Redskins had honest to good NFL quarterbacks, the Eagles lose the last two games.

"But Steve, they didn't lose... doesn't that mean something?"

Sorry, not in my book. Call me a pessimist. Say I look at the glass half-empty...

But I know what I see week in, week out... and that's a defense that and has been picked apart by a legitimate NFL quarterback.

BY THE NUMBERS...*With 7 more penalties yesterday, the Birds are now the third most-penalized team in the NFL*Yesterday, the Redskins were successful on Third Down 47% (8/17); for the year, the Redskins are 38% on Third Down efficiency*Yesterday, the Eagles were 1/4 in the Red Zone efficiency and 1/3 in Goal To Go efficiency*For the season, the Eagles are tied for seventh in the NFL in kickoff return yardage allowed per kick and fourth in total yards allowed on kickoffs

DID YOU NOTICE?...*The horrific penalty called on Brent Celek in the 1Q that negated a TD by DeSean Jackson? Same play happens a thousand times a game without being called*Speaking of Celek, don't think he'll be including highlights from this game the next time he goes in for a contract*Once again Quintin Mikell proved he is no Jerry Rice? Yes, it would have taken a good catch, but c'mon Q-Mike, catch the damn ball already*Fox sideliner Tony "Goose" Siragusa when he told us that 'Skins Head Coach Jim Zorn was not calling any offensive plays? "He's not calling any passes. He's not calling any runs," said the big man from the End Zone. So let's see. Zorn is not calling any passes. And he's not calling any runs. Which leaves...? Yeah, thanks for clearing that up, Tony.*At one point in the 3rd Quarter the Eagles offense had 3 possessions and gained a grand total of 22 yards?*Both the officials AND the announcers missed a face mask penalty that should have been flagged on the Skins following a Jason Avant catch?*Eldra Buckley has apparently become the second coming of Marcus Allen, who toward the end of his storied career, became a goal line specialist?*The incredible throw and catch by McNabb and Avant late in the 4th Quarter?*The fact that the Eagles had to waste a timeout before running the play for the 2-point conversion? How do you not have the play called in the event you score a TD? *94-WYSP (the local Eagles radio affliliate) provides players who provide post game interviews a $100 Ruth's Chris gift certificate? I heard this on the way home from MQs and was shocked. Ok, not shocked but why? Do these guys not get paid enough? Do you think there are people out there who could use the money more than a highly-paid NFL player?